The news that a pretty girl had moved into Fan Zhenghua and Dong Xiaojuan’s home spread like wildfire.
Feng Man wandered around everywhere every day, and in her free time, she helped Dong Xiaojuan mind the stall. She was already born delicate and beautiful, so in no time, she drew a lot of attention.
“Who’s that woman at Dong Xiaojuan’s place? She looks incredible, face no bigger than my palm, so fair and tender.”
“Her waist is slim too. Who knows where she’s from, but she’s prettier than the mine’s number one beauty.”
“Is she family? Haven’t heard anything.”
“She even moved in, and Cheng Lang has no place to stay when he comes back… Could she be Cheng Lang’s partner?”
Cheng Lang had quite a reputation in the Mine District, all because he worked hard, had a tall and sturdy build, and two years ago during a mine accident, he had saved several people. Quite a few women secretly admired him, and there were no shortage of uncles and aunties eager to introduce him to someone.
Of course, plenty of elders thought Cheng Lang’s face looked too rugged, even a bit fierce, and had no interest in the young man. Some even strictly forbade their daughters from getting too close to him.
Cheng Lang himself was truly aloof, keeping all women at arm’s length. Over time, even those who liked him gradually cooled off. Nowadays, the one pursuing Cheng Lang most aggressively was Tong Jiayu from the fourth floor of the Tube Buildings.
The neighbors gossiped animatedly, and when Dong Xiaojuan passed by, they asked a couple questions. Dong Xiaojuan remembered that the two hadn’t held the wedding banquet yet, and Cheng Lang had been busy at the Mine District these past couple days without coming over, so she could only vaguely say, “She’s family.”
Listeners heard what they wanted. Some pondered it really was a relative, others figured calling her family meant she was actually the partner. For a while, they argued over it.
Feng Man, the center of the topic, was completely unaware. After all, no one gossiped right to her face. She gradually got familiar with her hometown from this fictional era novel, familiar with the Mine District’s layout and surroundings. She even heard many secrets from the gossip of nearby stall owners—like which faction held the most power in the Mine District now, what reforms had workers fuming but afraid to speak out, how there had been a fight a few months ago, and that accidents occasionally happened, so mine work required caution.
Feng Man listened carefully and kept it in mind. In her spare time, she scoured the nearby vegetable market, picking and choosing spices, plus what she had bought along the way, which was enough to use.
That afternoon, Feng Man went to the nearest vegetable market by the Mine District to buy vegetables, meat, and flour.
Dong Xiaojuan’s kitchen was cramped, but Feng Man managed fine alone inside. As she kneaded the dough, chopped vegetables, and minced the meat filling, she thought back to the days when she hovered by her grandma’s side waiting to sneak a bite. She chose pork belly for this meat, three parts fat to two lean. Actually, her grandma had used plum blossom meat back then for the fresh meat pancake, three parts fat to seven lean, but things were different now. The Mine District workers did heavy labor, so more fat actually felt satisfying and energizing.
Doing business meant being flexible.
The fresh meat thousand layer pancake in Feng Man’s memory had her grandma’s exclusive secret recipe flavor. She mixed various seasonings and sauces thoroughly with the meat filling, marinated it for twenty minutes, then added chopped green onions and stirred evenly. She rolled out the dough thin and long, pinched off fifty-gram portions, rolled each flat, then used a knife to cut the back half into thin strips. She added meat filling to the center of the dough, rolled it forward from the long tail with overlapping strips, pressed the small bundle flat from top to bottom, and finally baked it.
While busy waiting, thudding footsteps echoed from the empty space in front of the house. A little boy dashed in but froze at the sight of the unfamiliar face. He backed out a few steps, craned his neck to check the door number on the wall, then returned home with suspicious flickering eyes.
After eyeing the strange auntie a few times, Fan You Shan, who had just come back from his dry dad’s place, suddenly remembered something. A few minutes earlier, he and his mom had packed up the stall to head home when she mentioned that his cousin’s partner was in the house—be sweet and greet her properly. The lively kid ran fast, leaving his mom behind, and reached the door first.
“You’re my cousin’s wife, huh?” The chubby little tiger-headed boy looked at the strange auntie in surprise.
“Who’s your cousin?” Feng Man had already guessed the little boy’s identity and teased him on purpose.
Fan You Shan took after Dong Xiaojuan in looks—round face, big eyes, very cute and honest.
“Cheng Lang!” Fan You Shan raised his voice.
“Then I’m not right now.” They hadn’t even married yet, so how could she be called wife?
The little boy naturally didn’t understand much about adult matters. He immediately scrunched his face in thought. This auntie was clearly staying in his cousin’s room, and mom said something about a baby betrothal, so why wasn’t she the wife? Sigh, confusing.
“That’s good then. I’ve already arranged someone else for cousin’s wife—you can’t snatch her.” Fan You Shan tilted his little head, indicating he didn’t agree with this marriage.
Feng Man was startled by his words, but the over-six-year-old boy before her seemed full of confidence. “You arranged it?”
Dong Xiaojuan came back right after closing the stall. Hearing this, she hurried in and covered the child’s mouth, apologetically saying, “Little Feng, don’t mind Xiaoshan talking nonsense. This kid agrees to anything for snacks—who knows if he was a starving ghost in his past life.”
Cheng Lang was a hot commodity in the Mine District—tall and strong, especially with his earning power. Plenty of women wanted him, but he was cold as ice, so some targeted his cousin’s family instead, taking the indirect route.
Fan You Shan had already unilaterally paired off his cousin several times after taking snacks from four or five aunties.
Feng Man couldn’t help laughing and teased him on purpose. “Xiaoshan, is your cousin only worth a couple cents?”
“No way! The Tong auntie from upstairs was looking for cousin the day before yesterday and gave me a three-cent big roll, but I didn’t tell her where he went.”
As he spoke, Fan You Shan held up five chubby fingers. “At least she has to buy me fifty cents worth of snacks.”
Feng Man smiled. “Then if someone gives you snacks, don’t let them trick you away.”
Human traffickers were rampant these days.
Fan You Shan shook his head. “I’m not valuable—cousin is.”
Feng Man smiled at his childish innocence.
Just then, the aroma of the nearly baked fresh meat thousand layer pancake wafted from the kitchen. Fan You Shan, who had just righteously refused to acknowledge her as aunt-in-law, sniffed hard, drool nearly dripping.
Feng Man raised her brow at the kid’s greedy look, went into the kitchen to take out the baked pancakes, and as she carried a plate out, the chubby boy blocked her way with pleading eyes.
Busy minding the stall that afternoon, Dong Xiaojuan was sorting goods in the room. Turning her head, she saw her son clutching a golden pancake and chomping away. Steam rose hot, so he huffed and puffed while eating, but no matter how hot, he wouldn’t wait—eating so fast that golden crispy crumbs stuck to his mouth.
“You little rascal, buying snacks outside again?” Dong Xiaojuan and her husband didn’t give the kid much pocket money—a week’s fifty cents. Fan You Shan was thrifty, never bought snacks, always snacking from their own stall, which made his mom tease him that not much sold while he ate plenty.
But this pancake looked unfamiliar—no stall seemed to sell it.
“Didn’t buy it! Cousin’s wife made it!” Fan You Shan excitedly licked his lips.
Dong Xiaojuan’s eyes widened at her son. The kid had taken plenty of bribes from women chasing Cheng Lang, snacks filling his mouth, but he’d never called any “cousin’s wife.”
What was this!
Fan You Shan had never eaten such a delicious thousand-layer fresh meat pancake in his life.
The thousand-layer pancake baked golden and crispy, and with a gentle bite came a crisp crunch. Amid the crackling, one could glimpse the slightly red meat filling. The finely minced pork filling, marinated with the secret recipe seasonings, was full of fresh tender flavor. One bite brought the rich juiciness oozing out, mixed with crisp fresh green onions—not greasy at all, just making one wish to swallow their tongue too.
For this one bite of overflowing fresh fragrance from the fresh meat thousand layer pancake, Fan You Shan decided—cousin belonged to Auntie Feng Man!
“Sister Xiaojuan, I baked a few sesame flatbreads—try the taste.” Cooks were happiest getting feedback, especially from kids who didn’t lie and gave full emotional value. That blissful greedy face was especially satisfying.
Dong Xiaojuan, being an adult, wasn’t as expressive as a child, but the first bite lit up her eyes. The more she chewed, the more flavorful it got, like her taste buds were hugely satisfied, especially easing that meat craving.
“Little Feng, what skill is this? Incredible!” Dong Xiaojuan finished one pancake in a few bites and couldn’t stop.
“Family heirloom skill—guess it’s genetic.” Feng Man smiled, then asked, “Sister Xiaojuan, do you think this skill could work setting up a stall at the Mine District entrance?”
“You want to set up a stall?” Dong Xiaojuan was surprised for a moment but quickly realized it was good. They had a baby betrothal; once they held the wedding in a bit, one working the mine and one selling food—perfect. “Sure! With skills this good, it’ll sell great. In a few days, I’ll ask around about renting a stall.”
“Thanks, Sister Xiaojuan.” Feng Man knew stalls at the Mine District entrance were uniformly rented by the mine management office, and it was easier for miners’ families to inquire.
That evening, Fan Zhenghua came back from work. After a day of heavy labor, he casually bit into a pancake on the table and froze in place. “Where’d this come from?”
His wife’s cooking was passable, but this pancake was amazing—not her doing.
Dong Xiaojuan had wanted to tease him, but he hadn’t even guessed her. “Your cousin’s almost-wife made it. Didn’t expect such great skills. Little Feng wants to rent a stall to sell food—try this fresh meat thousand layer pancake then. One taste and I know it’ll work.”
Fan Zhenghua chomped the pancake, his heavy physical depletion from work gradually recovering—he felt energized. “Little Feng has big ideas, but it’s good. Later, A-Lang works the mine, she sells food—couple pulling together.”
“A-Lang quietly brought back a baby betrothal partner without a word—impressive.” Dong Xiaojuan ate a few bites of veggies with her husband, then went to count today’s earnings. Lots of nearby stalls, business average—only sold eight yuan worth today, profited a bit over four after costs. Troubling. “I think Little Feng has good ideas, quick hands and feet. A-Lang’s truly fortunate.”
“Of course, A-Lang has good taste.” Fan Zhenghua polished off the three pancakes left for him. The fresh meat flavor was too good; his hungry stomach satisfied, his whole body relaxed. “Tomorrow call him for dinner. He’s been busy these days—should ease up now.”
Cheng Lang had been back from Nine Mountains Village for several days now. Resuming a month’s work, he sorted and cracked down ruthlessly, too busy to visit his cousin’s home.
Thus, during a work break today, when Fan Zhenghua came looking to invite him for dinner tonight, Cheng Lang finally relaxed but couldn’t find a reason to refuse.
It was really that woman now living in his cousin’s room—she troubled his heart, making him uneasy whether to advance or retreat.
The usually decisive man felt powerless for the first time, at a loss with her, unsure how to resolve it.
After work, he took off his safety helmet, his black buzz cut sharp. Cheng Lang strode toward the Tube Buildings outside the Mine District. Upon entering, he bumped right into Feng Man carrying a plate of golden pancakes out of the kitchen.
Dong Xiaojuan heard the noise and waved her spatula in greeting. “A-Lang, quick, try Manman’s pancake—so fragrant!”
Fan Zhenghua was brewing tea and chimed in. “Fragrant beyond belief. You boy just missed out these past days—no full taste of fortune.”
Several days no see, Feng Man wore a red sleeveless tank top, making her skin look even fairer. She smiled brightly over.
Cheng Lang’s body stiffened. He said nothing.
A few days no see, Cheng Lang’s brows and eyes seemed even more stern, but since she occupied his room, out of courtesy, Feng Man hurriedly offered the plate of pancakes to Cheng Lang, eyes curved into crescents, very sincere. “Comrade Cheng Lang, have a taste.”
That flash of red from his recent dreams suddenly reappeared. Cheng Lang shifted his gaze, voice low and hoarse. “Mm.”
As Cheng Lang’s words fell, a thunderous shout rang from outside. “Fan Zhenghua on the second floor, phone for you!”
Fan Zhenghua, about to eat another pancake, hurried downstairs. “You all eat—I’ll take the call.”
Outside the Mine District, these eight Tube Buildings had a small shop on the first floor of the middle one. They’d installed a landline last year—receiving calls one mao per minute, making them three mao. Whoever had a call, the shop owner dashed over to notify.
Fan Zhenghua arrived at the shop and picked up, already guessing the caller—his own old mother.
After a bit of small talk, Fan Zhenghua learned his mother was again thinking of introducing a partner to her deceased brother’s son, Cheng Lang. He laughed heartily. “Mom, no need to worry about A-Lang’s marriage. He brought his own baby betrothal partner south—good news soon probably.”
The old lady Cheng Yulan on the other end went silent for a moment, puzzled. “A-Lang never had a baby betrothal—whose baby betrothal partner?”